Page 8 of Skye's Fall

Her kitchen is just as nice as her dad’s, rivaling five-star restaurants and resorts. I admire the counters and high-tech cooking equipment. And I love the fact that even with all this nice kitchen equipment, Ever likes to keep it simple.

“I’m going to teach you a recipe, a simple one.” She starts to tell me what ingredients to get.

“Now, preheat the oven to three hundred fifty.” I do as she tells me, turning knobs and pushing buttons.

I start to chop and mix vegetables, adding olive oil to a pan and browning them like she instructed me to. I pull out a pot and add water, then add the noodles to cook until just right. She tells me to keep tasting a noodle until it’s at a consistency I like.

“Smells good in here.” Memphis comes in and kisses Ever quickly as he takes in the scene in front of him, me at the stove.

“Dinner will be ready in a minute,” she tells him.

“Good, I’m hungry.” He grabs three beers and heads back into the living room. He must drink a lot when he’s not in training.

“Okay, now mix the veggies and noodles, drizzle a little olive oil.” I do as she says.

“Pinch of salt, and add the slices of prosciutto.”

And then I’m looking at a finished meal. I did this.

“Looks good. Take it to the table.”

“I just made you dinner?”

“For all of us. But yes, you learned a simple meal. And I didn’t help you. I actually stopped talking after a while.”

“What? I heard you instructing me.”

“That was your inner dialogue. You did this on your own.” Ever smiles at me.

“I did this?” I can’t believe I cooked a meal. I want to do a little dance.

“I’ll grab the plates. Oh, and be on your best behavior, Linc is here.”

I freeze. I haven’t seen him since the bar. He hates me, with good reason. I told him no, and he told me he didn’t want me, and then we slept together on my wedding day. The day I married Memphis.

Ever must notice my tension. “Skye, I know that you two have a history. I know about your wedding day.”

“Oh shit,” I mutter. I feel lower than dirt right now.

“I’m not going to say anything. But I think he still cares even though he won’t say it.”

“I highly doubt that. No one cares about me,” I say sadly.

“I do, now go sit that on the table and I’ll bring the plates.”

I just nod, taking a seat and waiting.

“Dinner!” Ever yells and it sounds like a heard of elephants running through the house as Linc, Memphis, and a guy I’ve never seen before take seats at the table.

“Skye, this is London Hernandez. He’s going to be assisting on the show.” Memphis introduces me to the beautiful Hispanic man sitting across from me. Dark skin, covered in bright, colorful tattoos all the way to his head. I’d love to know if all of him is covered as I lick my lips.

London just smirks, but I can see Linc frowning, so I quickly look away.

“What do you do, London?” I ask him, trying not to look at the man.

“I’m a fighter in the league.”

“I’ve never met you,” I reply.